The use of imaging devices or other sensors during in-flight operations of aerial vehicles is increasingly common. In particular, unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are frequently equipped with one or more imaging devices such as digital cameras, range cameras, depth sensors, infrared sensors or other systems that may detect, capture and/or process visible or invisible light. Where an aerial vehicle is equipped with one or more imaging devices, such devices may be utilized in any number of operations or applications of the aerial vehicle, and for any purpose. For example, an imaging device may be used to capture imaging data such as still or moving images and any associated audio signals or metadata (e.g., geotags or date or time stamps) to aid in the safe operation of an aerial vehicle, such as for maneuvering or control, including but not limited to collision avoidance. Alternatively, an imaging device carried aboard an aerial vehicle may be used in surveillance or monitoring applications, such as when the aerial vehicle is utilized to photograph large or diverse areas, or areas from angles that cannot readily be accessed by grounded photographers or ground-based photographic equipment.
During airborne operations, an aerial vehicle is commonly subjected to a variety of forces of different natures and degrees. For example, an aerial vehicle may be subjected to forces generated by air flowing above, below and around the aerial vehicle in flight, including forces of thrust, lift, shear or drag. Additionally, an aerial vehicle may also be subjected to noise or vibrations of varying intensities or in varying frequency spectrums, e.g., due to rotating motors or other machinery onboard the aerial vehicle, or due to one or more aspects of the aerial vehicle that may resonate or oscillate during flight. An aerial vehicle may further be subjected to forces resulting from impacts with various airborne or ground-based objects.
When an aerial vehicle is subjected to such forces during flight, the quality of imaging data captured by any imaging devices operating thereon may be affected thereby. Ordinarily, when an imaging device captures imaging data while the imaging device is in motion, the imaging data may be stabilized or corrected according to one or more physical or digital processing techniques. Such techniques are inherently complicated where an imaging device is carried aboard an aerial vehicle in flight, however, particularly where a field of view of the imaging device does not include a fixed reference point on which stabilization of imaging data captured by the imaging device may be based.